Transportation containers and method



Dec. 20, 1966 R, N, RQEGNER 3,292,813

TRANSPORTATION CONTAINERS AND METHOD Filed Jan. 14, 1963 V 2-Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

RQ BERT N. ROEGNER B Dec. 20, 1966 R N. ROEGNER 3,292,813

TRANSPORTATION CONTAINERS AND METHOD Filed Jan. 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR' ROBERT N. ROEGNER fi l/6mg ATT'Y United States Patent3,292,813 TRANSPORTATION CONTAINERS AND METHOD Robert N. Roegner, BlueIsland, Ill., assignor to Armour and Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 251,188 1 Claim.(Cl. 220-63) This invention relates to transportation containers andmethod, and more particularly to a method and means for transportingarticles, such as unwrapped hams, picnics, bellies, and other types ofarticles, with a substantial saving in time and labor, while alsoproviding an effective segregation on the basis of quality and weight.

While the invention is applicable to the handling and transporting of agreat variety of articles, the method and equipment will be describedherein, for the purpose of illustration, in connection with the handlingand transportation of such products as hams, picnics, bellies, and likemeat products.

In the present practice of handling meat products, it is customary tohave metal or plastic containers adjacent to the grading table, and theproduct is tossed into each container on the basis of quality andweight. Thereafter, the containers are conveyed to a truck or a railwaycar and the contents of the containers are deposited onto racks andbehind barriers in the vehicle. With such practice, it is diflicult tokeep the products effectively segregated on the basis of the initialgrading as to quality and weight, and at the same time considerablelabor'and time are involved in the process of such handling,transportation, and unloading.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and means ofovercoming the above-described disadvantages and to provide for thecarrying through of the initial segregation as to quality and weight,etc., to a final destination, while at the same timeobvi-ating the useof repeated handling in such process. A further object is to providecontainers of unique construction which may be handled by a lift truckso as to transport large quantities of the product at the same time andat much reduced cost. Other specific objects and advantages will appearas the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in an illustrative embodiment, by theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container supported within a rigidcase and embodying my invention; FIG. 2, a perspective view of thecontainer having its lifting sleeves engaged by the tines of a lift forkand showing the removal of the container from the rigid case; FIG. 3, aperspective view of the filled container after its deposit upon atransportation truck or other vehicle; FIG. 4, a perspective view of amodified form of container; and FIG. 5, a perspective view of anothermodified form of container which may be employed in the practice of myinvention.

In the illustration given in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, a flexiblecontainer is supported as a liner in a rigid case 11. The case 11 may bethe metal-type container heretofore employed for receiving meatproducts, or it may be formed of any other suitable material. Thecontainer 10 may be formed of nylon or any other suitable plastic orfabric material which is sturdy and effective for carrying articleswhich are to be transported. The container may have the usual four sidesand may be rectangular, square, or of any other desired shape. Attachedto sides of the container are lift sleeves 12 which are substantiallyparallel in location and, as shown in FIG. 1, the sleeves extend overthe sides of the rigid vessel 11 and aid in supporting the bag evenlyupon the case 11. The sleeves are of a size adapted to receive the metaltines 13 of a lift truck 14, the lift fork being also preferablyprovided with a polished metal or stainless steel guard plate 15, asillustrated best in FIG. 2. Since a power lift truck 14 equipped withmeans for raising and lowering the forks or tines 13 and fortransporting the 'bag to a desired destination' is well known, adetailed description of the truck is believed to be unnecessary.

In the practice of my invention, the container 10 after being filledwith the meat products, etc., is lifted by the tines 13 of the lifttruck, and in so doing it is found that the articles shift within theflexible container and form a bottom base which tends to maintain thefilled container when deposited upon a vehicle surface, as illustratedin FIG. 3, in an extended position, with the lift sleeves 12 in parallelposition so that they may be engaged by the tines of a lift truck whenthe container has been carried by a truck or railway car to the finaldestination. It is found also that in the case of meats where theproducts are carried in a refrigerator car, plastic containers, such asnylon, are relatively rigid and tend to support the sleeves 12 in theparallel position illustrated in FIG. 3.

The sleeves should be large enough to receive tines or forks. In thecase of tines, a sleeve 4" in diameter may-be satisfactory. In the caseof forks, the sleeves may have a diameter 11p to 20" The lift members 13may vary in size and thus require sleeves of greater or lesser diameter.

In the modification illustrated-in FIG. 4, further means for assuringthat the containerwill maintain the sleeves 12a in parallel position areprovided by the use of flexible metal, plastic, or other rigid materialst-ays 16 which may be inserted within vertical pockets 17 in the sidesof the container 1012. Also, if it is desired to maintain the containerin its original dimensions after filling, straps 18 may be employed, asillustrated best in FIG. 4. Further, top flaps 19 may also be provided,as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 5, a pouch type of container 10bis employed, and this container after being filled may be closed by theuse of draw strings 20. Such a, container 10b is also preferablyprovided with sleeves in the form of aligned loops 21, as illustrated inFIG. 5. By the term sleeve is meant any form of tubular or loop typesupport carried by the bag and adapted to be engaged by the tines of alift truck and by which the bag may be carried. Any suitable means forclosing the duffel-type bag or container may be employed.

In the structure shown in FIG. 5, the bag 1011 may be reinforced byhorizontal plastic bands 22 held in place by the lower extensions ofloops 21 as shown in spacedapart relation. By way of example, a nylonbag having a width of 40", a length of 48", and a height of 30 may bereinforced with three 6" nylon straps indicated by the numeral 22 inFIG. 5, such straps lending strength and rigidity to the bag structurewhile at the same time permitting ready closing of the top portion ofthe bag by the drawing of the rope or loop 20.

OPERATION In the operation of the containers illustrated, the bags orcontainers are filled either while the containers are supported withinrigid cases 11 or are reinforced with stays 16, the lifting sleevesbeing maintained in parallel relation so that they may be engaged by thetines or lift forks 13 of the lift truck 14. After engagement with thelift fork, the filled container is lifted to settle the contents and thebag then deposited upon the transportation vehicle. When the vehiclereaches its destination, the tines of another lift fork are brought intoengagement with the sleeves, and the articles thus carried to theirfinal destination and placed in a permanent receiving container forfurther processing or in a cooler for storage.

By way of specific examples, the following may be set out:

A nylon bag having the dimensions of 48" x 40" x 30 was employed as areusable container or liner, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. The bagwasequipped with lifting sleeves 48" long and approximately 4" in'diameter. The capacity was 33.3 cubic feet with an 1,800 lb. to 2,000lb. capacity, depending on the type of product handled. The total weightof the container was approximately 8 lbs. The lift truck was providedwith a fork attachment having two 48" polished metal tines equipped witha polished metal or stainless steel guard plate, together with hangersfor attaching it to standard fork truck backing plates.

The nylon bag was placed inside of the metal container deep, such acontainer being of the type now used in packing houses. The metalcontainer lined with the nylon bag was positioned'at the grading tableto receive products such as bellies, picnics, unwrapped hams, etc.Several metal or plastic containers and bags are employed and theproduct was tossed into each bag according to the predetermined qualityand weight 'grade. A full bag-load was then scaled and transported tothe'loading dock. For transporting, the

fork truck inserted the tines into the nylon bag sleeves and lifted thebag from the metal case or basket. The load was then transported intothe car or truck, and after depositing the same upon the truck the forklift truck backed away, thereby removing the tines from the nylon bag.Upon arrival of the vehicle at the destination, a fork truck withsimilar tine attachments entered the car or truck and inserted the tinesin the bag sleeves, lifting the load from the floor and transporting theload into the receiving units permanent container.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth certain steps andstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustratingembodiments of the invention, it will be understood that such detail ordetails may be varied widely by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A shipping container structure including a flexible bag means and rigidexterior case, said bag means having four sides, a bottom and topportion, said top portion being open and having extensions of twoopposite sides forming parallel lifting sleeves across said sides, saidexteriorcase in substantially conforming shape to said bag to supportsaid bag, and to support said sleeves in} a parallel position to allowthe entry of the members of a lifting means into said sleeves forremoving said flexible container from said case for transporting a groupof articles contained therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,649 11/ 1894Salzer 220- 724,316 3/1903 Morris et al -1 904,142 11/1908 Moore 150-511,052,379 2/1913 Ranken et al. 150-1 1,173,468 2/1916 Trafton 220-651,577,298 3/1926 Roeller 150-48 X 1,797,681 3/1931 Ferguson. 1,938,45212/1933 Griesmeyer 220-65 2,063,652 12/1936 Woodruff 214-152 2,159,2795/1939 Lipowsky et al. 150-1- 2,212,390 8/1940 Conklin 150-48 'X r2,574,563 11/1951 Hieb 150-49 2,638,399 5/1953 Seymour 150-49 X2,674,509 4/1954 Barnet 150 1 X 2,709,012 5/1955 Lessard 214-1522,740,445 4/1956 Fornell 150-1 2,764,307 9/ 1956 Kughler 214-6203,018,880 1/1962 Brugmann 150-1 X 3,132,794 5/ 1964 Frazier 248-99XFOREIGN PATENTS 142,565 5/ 1920 Great Britain.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

M. L. MINSK, Assistant Examiner.

